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The  Gettysburg  Address 


WHEN  WRITTEN,  HOW  RECEIVED, 
ITS  TRUE  FORM 


BY 

MAJOR  WILLIAM  H.  LAMBERT 


Reprinted  from  the  Pennsylvania  Magazine  of  History  and  Biog- 
raphy for  October , /pop 


Printed  by 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 


cL^ 


Richard  Barksdale  Harwell 


THE  GETTYSBURG 


WHEN 

ADDRESS 

WRITTEN,  HOW  RECEIVED, 
ITS  TRUE  FORM 

BY 

MAJOR  WILLIAM  H.  LAMBERT 

Reprinted  From  “The  Pennsylvania  Magazine  of  History  and  Biography, m 

October,  1909 


PHILADELPHIA 

1909 


nAKVAHD  COLLEGE 
• F ROW 

THE  BEQUEST  Of 
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The  Standard  Version. — President  Lincoln’s  Final  Revision. 

Photographed  from  the  fac-simile  first  published  in  “Autograph  Reaves  of  Our 
Country’s  Authors,”  Baltimore,  1864. 

(Reduced) 


THE  GETTYSBURG  ADDRESS. 


WHEN  WRITTEN,  HOW  RECEIVED,  ITS  TRUE  FORM. 

BY  MAJOR  WILLIAM  H.  LAMBERT. 

[Read  before  the  Commandery  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  Military 
Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion  of  the  United  States,  February  14,  1906 ; 
and  before  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  February  8,  1909.] 

The  most  notable  of  the  series  of  speeches  made  by 
Abraham  Lincoln  after  leaving  Springfield,  and  while  on 
his  way  to  Washington  for  his  inauguration  as  President, 
was  that  made  in  this  city  in  Independence  Hall,  and  in- 
spired by  its  sacred  memories ; and  the  most  famous  of  his 
addresses  as  President  was  delivered  at  the  dedication  of  the 
Soldiers’  National  Cemetery  on  the  battlefield  of  Gettysburg. 

Consideration  of  these  remarkable  utterances  upon  the 
soil  of  our  State  would  seem  appropriate  by  the  Historical 
Society  of  Pennsylvania  at  this  time  of  commemoration  ot 
the  centenary  of  Lincoln’s  birth;  and  your  attention  is  in- 
vited to  the  circumstances  attending  the  delivery  of  the 
Gettysburg  Address,  as  described  in  some  of  the  accounts 
of  the  dedication,  which  I present  in  an  endeavor  to  de- 
termine what  was  the  origin  of  the  address,  how  it  was 
received,  and  what  is  its  true  form,  for,  strange  as  it  may 
appear,  widely  differing  answers  are  given  to  these  several 
questions. 

President  Lincoln  left  Washington  for  Gettysburg  at 
noon  on  Wednesday,  November  18,  1863,  in  a special  train 
consisting  of  four  passenger  coaches;  he  was  accompanied 
by  a large  party  that  included  members  of  his  Cabinet, 
several  foreign  ministers,  his  private  secretaries,  officers  of 
the  Army  and  Navy,  a military  guard,  and  newspaper  cor- 
respondents; the  train  arrived  at  Gettysburg  about  dark. 
Mr.  Lincoln  spent  the  night  at  the  house  of  David  Wills, 


2 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


Governor  Curtin’s  representative  and  the  active  agent  in 
the  establishment  of  the  Soldiers’  Cemetery. 

Arnold,  in  his  “ History  of  Lincoln  and  the  Overthrow 
of  Slavery,”  asserts  that  the  President  “while  on  his  way 
from  the  White  House  to  the  battlefield  was  notified  that 
he  would  be  expected  to  make  some  remarks,”  and  that 
asking  for  some  paper  a rough  sheet  of  foolscap  was  handed 
to  him;  “retiring  to  a seat  by  himself,  with  a pencil  he 
wrote  the  address.” 

Similarly  Ben  Perley  Poore  says  in  his  “ Reminiscences 
of  Lincoln  ” that  “ his  remarks  at  Gettysburg  * * * were 
written  in  the  car  on  his  way  from  Washington  to  the 
battlefield,  upon  a piece  of  pasteboard  held  on  his  knee.” 
In  the  beautiful  story  by  Mrs.  Andrews  entitled  “The 
Perfect  Tribute,”  which,  because  of  its  wide  circulation  in 
the  magazine  in  which  it  first  appeared,  and  subsequently 
as  a daintily  printed  book,  has  done  much  to  form  popular 
opinion  of  the  composition  and  delivery  of  the  Address,  it 
is  said  that  the  President  after  gazing  wistfully  across  the 
car  at  Edward  Everett — who  was  not  in  it,  having  pre- 
viously gone  to  Gettysburg  by  another  route — appealed  to 
Secretary  Seward  for  the  brown  paper  he  had  just  re- 
moved from  a package  of  books : “ May  I have  this  to  do 
a little  writing  ? ” and  then  with  a stump  of  a pencil  labored 
for  hours  over  his  speech. 

On  the  contrary,  General  James  B.  Fry,  who  was  present 
in  the  car  as  one  ot  the  escort,  says  that  he  is  confident  that 
the  assertion  that  the  Address  was  written  in  the  train  en 
route  to  Gettysburg  is  an  error,  and  states,  “ I have  no 
recollection  of  seeing  him  writing  or  even  reading  his 
speech  during  the  journey,  in  fact  there  was  hardly  any 
opportunity  for  him  to  read  or  write.”  Hicolay,  the  senior 
of  the  President’s  private  secretaries,  in  an  interesting  and 
highly  valuable  paper  on  the  Gettysburg  Address,  says, 
“ There  is  neither  record,  evidence,  nor  well  founded  tradi- 
tion that  Mr.  Lincoln  did  any  writing  or  made  any  notes 
on  the  journey  between  Washington  and  Gettysburg,” 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


3 


the  many  interruptions  incident  to  the  journey,  together 
with  the  rocking  and  jolting  of  the  train,  made  writing 
virtually  impossible. 

In  Mowry’s  “ History  of  the  United  States  for  Schools,” 
published  in  1896,  it  is  said  : “ There  is  conclusive  evidence 
that  the  words  of  the  address  were  not  written  out  until  after 
the  Presidential  party  had  arrived  upon  the  ground” ; and 
in  an  appendix  it  is  stated : “ The  following  account  of  how 
the  address  was  written  was  received  directly  from  the  lips 
of  ex-Governor  Curtin,  of  Pennsylvania,  who  was  present 
on  the  occasion  and  knew  whereof  he  affirmed.  Governor 
Curtin  said  that  after  the  arrival  of  the  party  from  Wash- 
ington, while  the  President  and  his  Cabinet,  Edward  Ever- 
ett, the  orator  of  the  day,  Governor  Curtin,  and  others  were 
sitting  in  the  parlor  of  the  hotel,  the  President  remarked 
that  he  understood  that  the  committee  expected  him  to  say 
something.  He  would,  therefore,  if  they  would  excuse  him, 
retire  to  the  next  room  and  see  if  he  could  w’rite  out  some- 
thing. He  was  absent  some  time,  and  upon  returning  to 
the  company  had  in  his  hand  a large-sized,  yellow  govern- 
ment envelope.  The  President  sat  down,  and  remarked 
that  he  had  written  something,  and  with  their  permission  he 
would  like  to  read  it  to  them,  and  invited  them  to  criticise 
it.  After  reading  what  he  had  written  upon  the  envelope, 
he  asked  for  any  suggestions  they  might  make;  Secretary 
Seward  volunteered  one  or  two  comments,  which  Mr.  Lin- 
coln accepted  and  incorporated.  Then  he  said,  4 How,  gen- 
tlemen, if  you  will  excuse  me  again,  I will  copy  this  off/ 
and  returning  again  made  a fresh  copy  to  read  from.” 

A somewhat  different  account  of  Governor  Curtin’s 
recollection  is  given  by  Hon.  Horatio  King  in  his  “ Turning 
on  the  Light,”  wherein  he  writes  that  in  1885  at  Gettys- 
burg the  Governor  said : “ I saw  Mr.  Lincoln  writing  this 
address  in  Mr.  Wills’  house  on  a long  yellow  envelope.  He 
may  have  written  some  of  it  before.  He  said  4 1 will  go  and 
show  it  to  Seward,’  who  stopped  at  another  house,  which 
he  did  and  then  returned  and  copied  his  speech  on  a fools- 


4 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


cap  sheet.”  Mr.  King  adds  that  the  Governor  expressed 
extreme  regret  that  he  had  not  secured  that  envelope  on 
which  he  most  positively  declared  he  saw  Mr.  Lincoln  writ- 
ing his  Address  as  above  described. 

The  Hon.  Edward  McPherson  of  Gettysburg,  for  many 
years  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  said  in  1875, 
in  a newspaper  communication,  that  after  Mr.  Lincoln  had 
retired  to  his  room  on  the  night  of  the  18th  he  sent  for  his 
host  and  “ inquired  the  order  of  exercises  for  the  next  day 
and  began  to  put  in  writing  what  he  called  some  stray 
thoughts  to  utter  on  the  morrow.”  Mr.  Wills  believed  that 
the  Address  was  written  in  his  house  and  said  in  1893,  as  he 
had  earlier,  that  the  President  read  “ from  the  same  paper 
on  which  I had  seen  him  writing  it  the  night  before.” 

Prof.  Draper  in  his  “ History  of  the  American  Civil 
War,”  one  of  the  most  scholarly  and  philosophic  of  the  his- 
tories of  the  Rebellion,  asserts  that  when  the  President  rose 
to  speak  “ he  unpremeditatedly  and  solemnly  said,  ‘ It  is 
intimated  to  me  that  this  assemblage  expects  me  to  say 
something  on  this  occasion.’  ” 

Noah  Brooks,  newspaper  correspondent  at  Washington 
during  the  war,  who,  having  been  acquainted  with  Mr.  Lin- 
coln in  Illinois,  was  on  terms  of  friendly  intimacy  and  has 
written  much  about  him,  declared  that  a few  days  prior  to 
the  19th  of  November,  1863,  Mr.  Lincoln  told  him  that 
Mr.  Everett  had  kindly  sent  him  a copy  of  his  oration  in 
order  that  the  same  ground  might  not  be  gone  over  by 
both ; the  President  added,  “ There  is  no  danger  that  I 
shall,  my  speech  is  all  blocked  out — it  is  very  short.”  In 
answer  to  the  question  whether  the  speech  was  written,  he 
said,  “N"ot  exactly  written — it  is  not  finished  anyway.” 
Brooks  further  asserted  that  the  speech  was  written  and  re- 
written many  times,  and  revised  somewhat  after  Mr.  Lin- 
coln's arrival  at  Gettysburg. 

Ward  H.  Lamon,  a personal  friend  and  associate  of  Mr. 
Lincoln  before  the  war,  accompanied  him  from  Springfield 
to  Washington,  was  appointed  Marshal  of  the  District  of 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


5 


Columbia,  and  had  confidential  relations  with  the  President 
throughout  his  administration,  and  was  the  Chief  Marshal 
of  the  ceremonies  at  Gettysburg;  and  he  devoted  a chapter 
of  his  “ Recollections  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  1847-1865,”  to 
the  Gettysburg  Address,  in  which  he  writes  : “A  day  or  two 
before  the  dedication  of  the  National  Cemetery  at  Gettys- 
burg, Mr.  Lincoln  told  me  that  he  would  be  expected  to 
make  a speech  on  the  occasion ; that  he  was  extremely 
busy,  and  had  no  time  for  preparation ; and  that  he  greatly 
feared  that  he  would  not  be  able  to  acquit  himself  with 
credit,  much  less  to  fill  the  measure  of  public  expectation.” 
Lamon  says  he  was  shown  “ a sheet  of  foolscap,  one  side  of 
which  was  closely  written  with  what  he  informed  me  was  a 
memorandum  of  his  intended  address.  This  he  read  to  me, 
first  remarking  that  it  was  not  at  all  satisfactory  to  him.  It 
proved  to  be  in  substance,  if  not  in  exact  words,  what  was 
afterwards  printed  in  his  famous  Gettysburg  speech.” 

A newspaper  paragraph,  the  original  date  and  source  of 
which  are  unknown  to  me,  alleges  that  Senator  Cameron 
had  asserted  that  he  had  seen  a draft  of  the  address  in  the 
White  House  before  the  President  left  Washington. 

Such  are  the  divergent  testimonies  concerning  the  prep- 
aration of  the  Address.  Fortunately  there  exists  documen- 
tary evidence  to  substantiate  the  statements  of  Brooks  and 
Lamon  and  Cameron,  and  to  establish  conclusively  that 
the  Address  was  the  outcome  of  deliberation  and  careful 
thought. 

The  formal  invitation  to  the  President  was  written  on  the 
2nd  of  November  and  specifically  stated  that  “ it  is  the 
desire  that  you  as  the  Chief  Executive  of  the  Nation  for- 
mally set  apart  these  grounds  to  their  sacred  use  by  a few 
appropriate  remarks.”  In  the  article  before  referred  to  Nic- 
olay  says  that  Mr.  Lincoln  carried  in  his  pocket  the  auto- 
graph manuscript  of  so  much  of  his  Address  as  he  had 
written  at  Washington,  and  a facsimile  reproduction  of  the 
original  draft  is  given.  The  first  page  of  the  manuscript  is 
written  in  ink  and  ends  with  an  incompleted  sentence,  facts 


6 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


which  justify  Nicolay’s  inference  that  at  the  time  of  writing 
it  in  Washington  the  remainder  of  the  sentence  was  also 
written  in  ink  on  another  sheet  of  paper.  On  the  morning 
of  the  19th  when,  in  Nicolay’s  presence,  the  President  fin- 
ished writing  his  Address  he  used  a lead  pencil  with  which 
he  crossed  out  the  last  three  words  of  the  first  page  and 
wrote  other  words  above  them  and  on  another  sheet  wrote 
the  remainder  of  the  Address,  in  substance  about  one-third 
of  the  whole ; this  second  page  is  also  produced  in  facsimile. 
This  manuscript  consisting  of  two  pages  was  in  Mr.  Lin- 
coln’s hands  when  he  delivered  his  Address.  Undoubtedly 
the  first  page  of  this  manuscript  was  part  of  the  original 
draft  of  the  Address  and  the  second  page  was  the  new  draft 
substituted  for  the  cancelled  original,  there  being  probably 
some  immaterial  differences  between  the  two  versions. 

Another  manuscript  exists,  which  is  now  in  the  possession 
of  the  family  of  the  late  John  Hay,  who  as  one  of  the  Pres- 
ident’s private  secretaries  was  present  at  the  dedication. 
This  manuscript,  which  is  in  the  President’s  autograph, 
is  reproduced  in  facsimile  in  Putnam's  Magazine  for  Feb- 
ruary, 1909,  in  connection  with  “ Recollections  of  Lincoln” 
by  Gen.  James  Grant  Wilson,  who  believes  the  manuscript 
was  written  after  the  President’s  return  from  Gettysburg. 

The  Hay  manuscript  is  undoubtedly  the  second  existing 
draft  of  the  address,  but  because  of  information  obtained 
from  Col.  John  P.  Nicholson,  to  whom  it  was  imparted  by 
Secretary  Hay,  I am  convinced  that  this  manuscript  was 
written  before  November  19,  1863,  and  that  it  was  inad- 
vertently left  at  Washington.  This  opinion  is  further 
strengthened  by  the  internal  evidence  of  the  manuscript 
itself. 

The  second  page  of  the  Nicolay  manuscript  is  almost 
identical  with  the  corresponding  page  of  the  Hay  manu- 
script, but  the  latter  in  its  entirety  conforms  much  more 
closely  to  the  Address  as  actually  delivered  than  the  Nico- 
lay  and  justifies  the  belief  that  the  Hay  was  the  final  draft 
of  the  complete  Address  before  its  delivery.  Neither  man- 


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Photographed  from  original  manuscript  owned  by  the  Hon.  John  Hay. 
(Reduced) 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


7 


uscript  was  written  after  the  delivery  of  the  Address,  for 
neither  contains  the  notable  addition  of  the  words  44  under 
God,”  that  were  interpolated  by  the  President  when  he 
spoke,  and  which  he  would  not  have  omitted  from  any  sub- 
sequent transcript. 

Whatever  revision  may  have  been  given  to  the  Address 
en  route  to  or  at  Gettysburg,  whatever  changes  or  additions 
may  have  been  made  in  its  delivery,  the  Address  existed 
in  substantially  completed  form  before  the  President  left 
W ashington. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  he  had  given  prolonged  and 
earnest  thought  to  the  preparation  of  this  Address ; he  had 
had  more  than  two  weeks’  notice  that  he  was  desired  to 
speak ; and  although  the  demands  upon  his  time  and  atten- 
tion were  such  as  to  allow  him  little  opportunity  for  unin- 
terrupted thought,  he  appreciated  the  momentousness  of 
the  occasion,  he  knew  how  much  was  expected  of  him,  and 
what  was  due  to  the  honored  dead,  and  he  did  not  trust  to 
the  inspiration  of  the  moment  or  rely  upon  his  readiness  as 
an  impromptu  speaker  when  he  dedicated  the  Soldiers’ 
Cemetery  at  Gettysburg,  for  he  had  wrought  and  rewrought 
until  there  came  into  perfect  form  the  noblest  tribute  to  a 
cause  and  its  heroes  ever  rendered  by  human  lips. 

The  Address  has  been  so  long  and  so  generally  accepted 
as  the  highest  expression  of  American  oratory,  that  it  is 
difficult  to  realize  that  it  ever  had  less  appreciation  than 
now.  The  testimonies  of  those  who  heard  the  Address 
delivered  differ  widely  as  to  the  reception  given  it  and  as 
to  the  impression  it  made. 

In  the  44  History  of  the  Battle  of  Gettysburg  ” (published 
in  1875)  Samuel  P.  Bates  in  giving  an  account  of  the  dedi- 
cation ceremonies  quotes  the  Address  and  says : 44  Its  de- 
livery was  more  solemn  and  impressive  than  is  possible  to 
conceive  from  its  perusal.  Major  Harry  T.  Lee,  who  was 
one  of  the  actors  in  the  battle  and  who  was  present  upon 
the  platform  at  the  dedication,  says  that  the  people  listened 


8 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


with  marked  attention  throughout  the  two  hours  that  Mr. 
Everett  spoke  ******  but  that  when  Mr.  Lincoln 
came  forward  and,  with  a voice  burdened  with  emotion, 
uttered  these  sublime  words  the  bosoms  of  that  vast  audi- 
ence were  lifted  as  a great  wave  of  the  sea ; and  that  when 
he  came  to  the  passage,  4 The  brave  men  living  and  dead, 
who  struggled  here,’  there  was  not  a dry  eye.*  * * * ” 

Arnold  in  his  life  of  Lincoln  (1885),  after  citing  the 
Address,  states:  “ Before  the  first  sentence  was  completed,  a 
thrill  of  feeling  like  an  electric  shock  pervaded  the  crowd. 
That  mysterious  influence  called  magnetism,  which  some- 
times so  affects  a popular  assembly,  spread  to  every  heart. 
The  vast  audience  was  instantly  hushed  and  hung  upon  his 
every  word  and  syllable.  Every  one  felt  that  it  was  not  the 
honored  dead  only,  but  the  living  actor  and  speaker  that 
the  world  for  all  time  to  come  would  note  and  remember, 
and  that  the  speaker  in  the  thrilling  words  he  was  uttering 
was  linking  his  name  forever  with  the  glory  of  the  dead. 
* * * jyi  his  hearers  realized  that  the  great  actor  in  the 

drama  stood  before  them,  and  that  the  words  he  said  would 
live  as  long  as  the  language ; that  they  were  words  which 
would  be  recollected  in  all  future  ages  among  all  peoples, 
as  often  as  men  should  be  called  upon  to  die  for  liberty  and 
country.  As  he  closed,  and  the  tears  and  sobs  and  cheers 
which  expressed  the  emotions  of  the  people  subsided,  he 
turned  to  Everett  and,  grasping  his  hand,  said,  4 1 congratu- 
late you  on  your  success.’  The  orator  gratefully  replied, 
4 Ah  ! Mr.  President,  how  gladly  would  I exchange  all  my 
hundred  pages  to  have  been  the  author  of  your  twenty 
lines.’  ” 

Major  Nickerson,  of  the  8th  Ohio,  who  had  been  severely 
wounded  in  the  battle,  was  present  at  the  dedication  and 
had  a seat  on  the  platform  within  a few  feet  of  the  speak- 
ers, gave  an  account  in  Scribner’s  Magazine,  July,  1893,  of 
his  44  Two  Visits  to  Gettysburg.”  He  says : 44  Others,  too, 
have  differed  as  to  the  immediate  effects  of  the  President’s 
remarks.  I give  the  impressions  received  at  the  time, 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


9 


which  were  also  identical  with  those  of  all  with  whom  I 
spoke.  I thought  then  and  still  think  it  was  the  shortest, 
grandest  speech  to  which  I ever  listened.  * * * My 

own  emotions  may  perhaps  be  imagined  when  it  is  remem- 
bered that  he  was  facing  the  spot  where  only  a short  time 
before  we  had  our  death  grapple  with  Pickett’s  men  and 
he  stood  almost  immediately  over  the  place  where  I had 
lain  and  seen  my  comrades  torn  in  fragments  by  the 
enemy’s  cannon-balls — think  then,  if  you  please,  how  these 
words  fell  upon  my  ear.”  Then,  quoting  a portion  of  the 
Address,  the  Major  adds : “ If  at  that  moment  the  Supreme 
Being  had  appeared  with  an  offer  to  undo  my  past  life, 
give  back  to  me  a sound  body  free  from  the  remembrance 
even  of  sufferings  past  and  the  imminence  of  those  that  must 
necessarily  embitter  all  the  years  to  come,  I should  have 
indignantly  spurned  the  offer,  such  was  the  effect  upon  me 
of  this  immortal  dedication.” 

Robert  Miller,  who  had  been  the  Adjutant  of  an  Ohio 
Regiment  of  100  days’  volunteers,  was  a member  of  the 
Ohio  Legislature  and  attended  the  dedication  ceremonies, 
stated  in  a letter  published  in  the  Eaton,  Ohio,  Register, 
November  30,  1863:  “The  tall  form  of  the  President  ap- 
peared on  the  stand  and  never  before  have  I seen  a crowd 
so  vast  and  restless,  after  standing  so  long,  so  soon  stilled 
and  quieted.  Hats  were  removed  and  all  stood  motionless 
to  catch  the  first  words  he  should  utter,  and  as  he  slowly, 
clearly,  and  without  the  least  sign  of  embarrassment  read 
and  spoke  for  ten  minutes  you  could  not  mistake  the 
feeling  and  sentiment  of  the  vast  multitude  before  him. 
I am  convinced  that  the  speech  of  the  President  has  fully 
confirmed  and  I think  will  confirm  all  loyal  men  and 
women  in  the  belief  that  Abraham  Lincoln,  though  he 
may  have  made  mistakes,  is  the  right  man  in  the  right 
place.” 

The  Commissioners  representing  Massachusetts  at  the 
dedication,  in  their  report  to  Governor  Andrew,  say,  “ The 
brief  speech  of  President  Lincoln  * * * * made  a 


10 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


profound  impression  ” ; and  that  it  was  spoken  with  great 
deliberation.  The  correspondent  of  the  Boston  Daily 
Advertiser,  who  was  probably  one  of  the  Commissioners,  in 
his  letter  to  that  paper  expressed  a similar  view  and  added 
that  the  remarks  “ seemed  to  he  emphatically  the  right 
words  in  the  right  place.” 1 

A committee  from  the  city  of  Boston  attending  the  dedi- 
cation reported : “ Perhaps  nothing  in  the  whole  proceed- 
ings made  so  deep  an  impression  on  the  vast  assemblage  or 
has  conveyed  to  the  country  in  so  concise  a form  the  lesson 
of  the  hour,  as  the  remarks  of  the  President,  their  sim- 
plicity and  force  make  them  worthy  of  a prominence 
among  the  utterances  from  high  places.” 2 

The  opinions  of  these  Commissioners  and  of  Lieutenant 
Miller  are  especially  valuable  because  expressed  and  recorded 
immediately  after  they  had  heard  the  address. 

John  Russell  Young,  who  was  present  on  the  speaker’s 
platform  as  representative  of  the  Philadelphia  Press , in  an 
article  published  in  1891,  based  upon  his  recollections  and 
memoranda  made  at  the  time,  says  that  the  report  made  by 
the  Associated  Press  “ was  studded  with  applause,  hut  I do 
not  remember  the  applause  and  am  afraid  the  appreciative 
reporter  was  more  than  generous — may  have  put  in  the  ap- 
plause himself  as  a personal  expression  of  opinion. *  * * * 
I have  read  * * * of  the  emotions  produced  by  the 

President’s  address,  the  transcendent  awe  that  fell  upon 
every  one  who  heard  those  most  mighty  and  ever  living 
words,  to  be  remembered  with  pride  through  the  ages,  I 
have  read  of  the  tears  that  fell  and  the  solemn  hush,  as 
though  in  a cathedral  solemnity  in  the  most  holy  moment 
of  the  Sacrifice.  * * * There  was  nothing  of  this,  to 

the  writer  at  least,  in  the  Gettysburg  Address.” 

In  Lamon’s  account  he  professes  to  quote  Mr.  Lincoln’s 
own  opinion  of  his  Address  and  says  that,  “ After  its  delivery 
on  the  day  of  commemoration  he  expressed  deep  regret  that 


*Burrage:  “Gettysburg  and  Lincoln,”  p.  124. 

*Burrage:  “Gettysburg  and  Lincoln,”  p.  125. 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


11 


he  had  not  prepared  it  with  greater  care.  He  said  to  me 
on  the  stand  immediately  after  concluding  the  speech : 
4 Lamon,  that  speech  won’t  scour  ! It  is  a flat  failure  and 
the  people  are  disappointed.’  He  seemed  deeply  concerned 
about  what  the  people  might  think  of  his  address,  more 
deeply,  in  fact,  than  I had  ever  seen  him  on  any  public 
occasion.  * * * The  occasion  was  solemn,  impressive, 

and  grandly  historic.  The  people,  it  is  true,  stood  appar- 
ently spell-bound ; and  the  vast  throng  was  hushed  and 
awed  into  profound  silence,  and  attention  to  his  words  arose 
more  from  the  solemnity  of  the  ceremonies  and  the  awful 
scenes  which  gave  rise  to  them  than  from  anything  he  had 
said.  He  believed  that  the  speech  was  a failure.  He 
thought  so  at  the  time  and  he  never  referred  to  it  after- 
wards in  conversation  with  me,  without  some  expression  ot 
unqualified  regret  that  he  had  not  made  the  speech  better 
in  every  way.  On  the  platform  from  which  Mr.  Lincoln 
delivered  his  address  and  only  a moment  after  it  was  con- 
cluded, Mr.  Seward  turned  to  Mr.  Everett  and  asked  him 
what  he  thought  of  the  President’s  speech.  Mr.  Everett 
replied,  ‘It  is  not  what  I expected  from  him,  I am  disap- 
pointed.’ Then  in  his  turn  Mr.  Everett  asked,  4 What  do 
you  think  of  it,  Mr.  Seward  ?’  The  response  was,  4 He  has 
made  a failure  and  I am  sorry  for  it.  His  speech  is  not 
equal  to  him.’  Mr.  Seward  then  turned  to  me  and  asked, 
4 Mr.  Marshal,  what  do  you  think  of  it  ? ’ I answered,  4 1 
am  sorry  to  say  that  it  does  not  impress  me  as  one  of  his 
great  speeches.’ 

44  In  the  face  of  these  facts  it  has  been  repeatedly  pub- 
lished that  this  speech  was  received  by  the  audience 
with  loud  demonstrations  of  approval ; that  amid  the  tears, 
sobs,  and  cheers  it  produced  in  the  excited  throng,  the 
orator  of  the  day,  Mr.  Everett,  turned  to  Mr.  Lincoln, 
grasped  his  hand  and  exclaimed,  4 1 congratulate  you  on 
your  success,’  adding  in  a transport  of  heated  enthusiasm, 
4Ah ! Mr.  President,  how  gladly  would  I give  my  hundred 
pages  to  be  the  author  of  your  twenty  lines ! ’ 


12 


The  Gettysburg  Address . 


“As  a matter  of  fact,  the  silence  during  the  delivery  of 
the  speech,  and  the  lack  of  hearty  demonstration  of 
approval  immediately  after  its  close,  were  taken  by  Mr. 
Lincoln  as  a certain  proof  that  it  was  not  well  received. 
In  that  opinion  we  all  shared.  If  any  person  then  present 
saw,  or  thought  he  saw,  the  marvelous  beauties  of  that  won- 
derful speech,  as  intelligent  men  in  all  lands  now  see  and 
acknowledge  them,  his  superabundant  caution  closed  his 
lips  and  stayed  his  pen.  * * * * I state  it  as  a 

fact,  and  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  this  famous 
Gettysburg  speech  was  not  regarded  by  the  audience  to 
whom  it  was  addressed,  or  by  the  press  and  people  of 
the  United  States,  as  a production  of  extraordinary  merit, 
nor  was  it  commented  on  as  such  until  after  the  death  of 
the  author.” 

While  there  may  be  some  truth  in  Lamon’s  narrative,  and 
the  language  ascribed  to  Lincoln  seems  natural  and  char- 
acteristic, allowance  should  be  made  for  the  author’s  idio- 
syncrasies as  exhibited  in  the  “ Life  of  Lincoln  ” published 
in  1872,  that,  purporting  to  have  been  written  by  Lamon, 
and  was  based  upon  information  that  had  been  secured  by 
him,  was  really  written  by  Chauncey  F.  Black,  son  of  Presi- 
dent Buchanan’s  Attorney-General.  Certainly  Lamon’s 
assertion  concerning  Everett’s  criticism  of  the  Address  is 
not  consistent  with  his  letter  to  the  President  on  the  follow- 
ing day,  in  which,  after  thanking  Mr.  Lincoln  for  the  kind- 
ness shown  himself  and  his  daughter  at  Gettysburg,  Mr. 
Everett  said:  “ Permit  me  also  to  express  my  great  admi- 
ration of  the  thoughts  expressed  by  you  with  such  eloquent 
simplicity  and  appropriateness  at  the  consecration  of  the 
Cemetery.  I should  be  glad  if  I could  hatter  myself  that 
I came  as  near  the  central  idea  of  the  occasion  in  two  hours 
as  you  did  in  two  minutes.” 

The  President’s  reply  was  characteristically  modest;  I 
quote  the  reference  to  himself : “ In  our  respective  parts 
yesterday  you  could  not  have  been  excused  to  make  a short 
address  nor  I long  one.  I am  pleased  to  know  that  in  your 
judgment  the  little  I did  say  was  not  a failure.” 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


13 


Mr.  Clark  E.  Carr,  who  was  present  at  Gettysburg  as  a 
Commissioner  from  Illinois,  is  the  author  of  an  address, 
“ Lincoln  at  Gettysburg,”  in  which  he  quotes  liberally 
and  with  approval  from  Lam  on  and  from  Nicolay,  and 
also  gives  his  own  impressions  concerning  the  President/s 
Address,  saying : “ His  expressions  were  so  plain  and 

homely,  without  any  attempt  at  rhetorical  periods,  and  his 
statements  were  so  axiomatic,  and,  I may  say,  matter-of-fact, 
and  so  simple,  that  I had  no  idea  that  as  an  address  it  was 
anything  more  than  ordinary.”  But  he  adds,  “ Every  one 
was  impressed  with  his  sincerity  and  earnestness,”  and, 
“ There  was  one  sentence  that  did  deeply  affect  me — the 
only  one  in  which  the  President  manifested  emotion.  With 
the  close  of  that  sentence  his  lips  quivered,  and  there  was 
a tremor  in  his  voice  which  I can  never  forget.  * * * 

The  sentence  was,  ‘ The  world  will  little  note,  nor  long 
remember  what  we  say  here,  but  it  can  never  forget  what 
they  did  here.’  ” 

This  sentence  that  so  impressed  Mr.  Carr  attracted  the 
attention  of  George  William  Curtis,  who,  in  Harper's  Weekly , 
December  5,  1863,  said  of  the  Address,  but  with  special  ref- 
erence to  the  sentence  quoted:  “ The  few  words  of  the 
President  were  from  the  heart  to  the  heart,  they  can  not 
be  read  even  without  kindly  emotion.  It  was  as  simple 
and  felicitous  and  earnest  a word  as  was  ever  spoken.” 

However  the  various  narratives  may  differ  as  to  the  degree 
of  appreciation  of  the  Address,  all  agree  that  the  Presi- 
dent was  accorded  most  respectful  attention  and  that  his 
bearing  and  demeanor  were  appropriate  to  the  solemn  occa- 
sion. I have  found  no  evidence  to  justify  the  statements  in 
“ The  Perfect  Tribute”  that  the  effect  on  the  audience  of  the 
President’s  voice  was  ghastly  and  with  his  gaunt  figure  too 
much  for  the  American  crowd’s  sense  of  humor,  and  that 
a suppressed  yet  unmistakable  titter  caught  and  ran  through 
the  throng.  It  is  unfortunate  that  this  popular  story  should 
promulgate  such  a travesty  of  fact. 

The  circumstances  attending  the  delivery  of  the  Address 


14 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


were  not  such  as  to  conduce  to  its  full  appreciation.  The 
procession  that  had  escorted  the  President  to  the  field  had 
been  greatly  belated,  and  after  his  arrival  upon  the  plat- 
form the  proceedings  were  still  further  delayed,  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  the  orator  of  the  day.  Mr.  Everett’s  oration, 
that  had  been  preceded  by  a prayer  of  some  length  and  by 
music,  was  of  two  hours’  duration,  so  that  when  the  Presi- 
dent spoke  it  was  to  an  audience  that  had  been  standing  for 
nearly  four  hours. 

The  brevity  of  the  speech,  the  absence  of  rhetorical 
effort,  and  its  very  simplicity  prevented  its  full  appreciation. 
Nicolay’s  statement  seems  to  accord  with  the  facts,  and  as  a 
devoted  admirer  of  his  Chief  he  would  naturally  incline  to 
enhance  rather  than  to  minimize  the  effect  of  the  Address 
upon  the  audience. 

“ There  is  every  probability  that  the  assemblage  regarded 
Mr.  Everett  as  the  mouthpiece,  the  organ  of  expression,  ot 
the  thought  and  feeling  of  the  hour,  and  took  it  for  granted 
that  Mr.  Lincoln  was  there  as  a mere  official  figurehead, 
the  culminating  decoration,  so  to  speak,  of  the  elaborately 
planned  pageant  of  the  day.  They  were  therefore  totally 
unprepared  for  what  they  heard  and  could  not  immediately 
realize  that  his  words,  and  not  those  of  the  carefully 
selected  orator,  were  to  carry  the  concentrated  thought  ot 
the  occasion  like  a trumpet-peal  to  farthest  posterity.” 

Undoubtedly  there  were  many  in  the  audience  who  fully 
appreciated  the  beauty  and  pathos  of  the  President’s  Ad- 
dress, and  many  of  those  who  read  it  on  the  following  day 
perceived  its  wondrous  character;  but  it  is  apparent  that 
its  full  force  and  grandeur  were  not  generally  recognized 
then,  either  by  its  auditors  or  its  readers.  Not  until  the 
war  itself  had  ended  and  the  great  leader  had  fallen  did  the 
Nation  realize  that  this  speech  had  given  to  Gettysburg 
another  claim  to  immortality  and  to  American  eloquence 
its  highest  glory. 

The  variations  between  the  several  contemporary  ver- 
sions of  the  Address  and  its  many  subsequent  reproductions 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


15 


are  remarkable,  particularly  in  view  of  its  brevity  and  im- 
portance. Attention  has  more  than  once  been  attracted  to 
these  variations;  and  because  of  the  differences  between 
the  earlier  reports  and  the  version  published  in  autographic 
facsimile  in  1864,  it  has  been  assumed  that  the  discrepan- 
cies were  due  either  to  blunders  on  the  part  of  reporters,  or 
to  their  attempts  to  improve  the  President’s  composition. 
But  examination  of  a number  of  versions  forces  the  conclu- 
sion that  while  some  of  the  minor  variations  in  the  news- 
paper reports  were  caused  by  typographical  or  telegraphic 
errors,  the  rhetorical  differences  between  these  reports  and 
the  later  version  were  plainly  the  result  of  the  author’s 
own  revision. 

The  reports  of  the  Address,  published  November  20, 
1868,  in  the  Ledger , the  North  American,  the  Press , and  the 
Bulletin  of  this  city,  in  the  Tribune  and  the  Herald  of  New 
York,  in  the  Advertiser  and  the  Journal  of  Boston,  and  in 
the  Springfield  Republican,  and  on  the  23d  in  the  Cincinnati 
Commercial , were  furnished  by  the  Associated  Press.  The 
reports  printed  in  the  Philadelphia  papers  named  agree 
with  the  exception  of  obvious  misprints.  The  New  York 
papers  agree  with  a single  exception,  probably  a typo- 
graphical error;  the  Boston  papers  also  agree  substantially 
with  but  three  verbal  variations.  But  the  respective  ver- 
sions of  the  several  cities  differ  from  each  other  in  a number 
of  details,  probably  because  of  errors  in  telegraphing  the 
reports  from  Gettysburg. 

The  reports  of  the  Address  published  in  the  Philadelphia 
Inquirer  and  in  the  Cincinnati  Gazette , November  20  and 
21  respectively,  differ  materially  from  each  other  and  from 
the  Associated  Press  report,  and  are  apparently  independent 
in  source ; lacking  in  completeness,  they  seem  to  be  para- 
phrases rather  than  literal  reports,  and  are  probably  free 
renderings  of  notes  made  at  the  time,  but  are  valuable  so 
far  as  they  go,  in  aiding  to  determine  which  of  the  other 
reports  most  nearly  represents  the  words  actually  spoken. 

Another  independent  report  of  greater  value  is  that  made 


16 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


by  the  Massachusetts  Commissioners,  which  they  assert  is 
“ in  the  correct  form  as  the  words  actually  spoken  by  the 
President,  with  great  deliberation,  were  taken  down  by  one 
of”  themselves.  The  differences  between  their  report  and 
that  printed  in  the  North  American , which  is  freer  from 
obvious  errors  than  any  other  version  of  the  Associated 
Press  report  that  I have  seen,  are  slight. 

Nicolay  says  that  the  President  did  not  read  from  the 
written  pages,  and  that  he  did  not  deliver  the  Address  in 
the  form  in  which  it  was  first  written,  but  from  the  fulness 
of  thought  and  memory  rounded  it  out  nearly  to  its  final 
rhetorical  completeness.  Brooks  states  that  as  Mr.  Lincoln 
read  from  the  manuscript  he  made  a few  verbal  changes. 

Comparison  of  the  several  reports  named  leads  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  President,  remembering  what  he  had  written 
in  the  Hay  manuscript,  delivered  his  Address  in  closer 
accordance  with  it  than  with  the  Nicolay  manuscript  which 
he  held,  but  to  which  he  referred  little.  The  North  American 
report,  which  in  my  judgment  reproduces  the  words  spoken 
more  accurately  than  any  other,  and  more  closely  than  the 
President’s  final  revision,  differs  from  the  Hay  manuscript  in 
several  instances,  but  materially  only  in  the  words  “ under 
God,”  which  were  interpolated  by  the  President  as  he  spoke, 
for  the  phrase  does  not  appear  either  in  the  Nicolay  or  the 
Hay  manuscript,  and  in  the  use  of  u the  ” instead  of  “ this  ” 
before  “ government  of  the  people.” 

Nicolay  says  that  a few  days  after  the  visit  to  Gettysburg, 
upon  receipt  from  Mr.  Wills  of  a request  on  behalf  of  the 
States  interested  in  the  National  Cemetery  for  the  original 
manuscript  of  the  Dedication  Address,  the  President  re- 
examined his  original  draft  and  the  version  that  had  ap- 
peared in  the  newspapers,  and  he  saw  that  because  of  the 
variations  between  them,  the  first,  that  is,  the  Nicolay, 
seemed  incomplete  and  the  others  imperfect;  he  therefore 
directed  his  secretaries  to  make  copies  of  the  several  reports 
of  the  Associated  Press  and,  “ comparing  these  with  his 
original  draft  and  with  his  own  fresh  recollection  of  the 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


17 


form  in  which  he  delivered  it,  he  made  a new  autograph 
copy,  a careful  and  deliberate  revision.” 

What  became  of  this  first  revision  is  unknown,  it  was 
not  received  by  Mr.  Wills,  who  wrote  me  years  ago : “ I 
did  not  make  a copy  of  my  report  of  President  Lincoln’s 
speech  at  Gettysburg  from  a transcript  from  the  original, 
but  from  one  of  the  press  reports.  I have  since  always 
used  the  revised  copy  furnished  the  Baltimore  fair,  of  which 
I have  a facsimile  in  lithograph.” 

Other  copies  were  made,  one  in  February,  1864,  at  the 
request  of  Mr.  Everett,  to  be  bound,  with  the  manuscript  of 
his  oration  and  Mr.  Lincoln’s  letter  to  him  of  November  20, 
in  a volume  to  be  sold  at  the  Metropolitan  Fair  for  the 
benefit  of  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission.  Still 
another  copy  was  made  at  the  request  of  the  Hon.  George 
Bancroft  for  the  benefit  of  the  Soldiers  and  Sailors  Fair  in 
Baltimore ; this,  having  been  written  on  both  sides  of  a letter- 
sheet,  was  unavailable  for  purposes  of  lithographic  produc- 
tion in  facsimile,  and  Mr.  Lincoln,  in  March,  made  another 
copy,  which  was  reproduced  in  “ Autograph  Leaves  of  Our 
Country’s  Authors  ” — a volume  published  for  the  benefit 
of  the  fair. 

This  version  exhibits  the  result  of  the  author’s  final  revi- 
sion, and,  except  in  punctuation  and  in  the  use  of  “ on  ” 
instead  of  “upon”  in  the  first  sentence  and  in  the  omission 
of  “ here”  between  “ they”  and  “ gave”  in  the  last  sentence, 
is  identical  with  the  version  made  at  Mr.  Everett’s  request, 
which  is  the  earliest  of  the  several  existing  revisions  of 
which  I have  been  able  to  learn. 

In  an  address  so  brief,  but  so  momentous,  every  syllable 
tells;  and  though  the  differences  between  the  final  revision 
and  the  speech  as  actually  delivered  are  few  and  seemingly 
immaterial,  the  changes  intensify  its  strength  and  pathos 
and  add  to  its  beauty,  and  as  so  revised  the  speech  cannot 
be  too  jealously  preserved  as  the  ultimate  expression  of  the 
author’s  sublime  thought.  Increasing  appreciation  of  Lin- 
coln’s character  and  of  his  fitness  for  the  great  work  to 


18 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


which  in  the  providence  of  God  he  was  called  enhances 
the  value  of  his  every  word,  and  surely  the  form  by  which 
he  intended  this  utterance  should  be  judged  is  that  in  which 
we  should  perpetuate  the  Gettysburg  Address. 


ADDRESS  DELIVERED  AT  THE  DEDICATION  OF  THE 
CEMETERY  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Four  score  and  seven  years  ago  our  fathers  brought  forth 
on  this  continent,  a new  nation,  conceived  in  Liberty,  and 
dedicated  to  the  proposition  that  all  men  are  created  equal. 

Now  we  are  engaged  in  a great  civil  war,  testing  whether 
that  nation,  or  any  nation  so  conceived  and  so  dedicated, 
can  long  endure.  We  are  met  on  a great  battle-field  of  that 
war.  We  have  come  to  dedicate  a portion  of  that  field,  as 
a final  resting  place  for  those  who  here  gave  their  lives  that 
that  nation  might  live.  It  is  altogether  fitting  and  proper 
that  we  should  do  this. 

But,  in  a larger  sense,  we  can  not  dedicate — we  can  not 
consecrate — we  can  not  hallow — this  ground.  The  brave 
men,  living  and  dead,  who  struggled  here,  have  consecrated 
it,  far  above  our  poor  power  to  add  or  detract.  The  world 
will  little  note,  nor  long  remember  what  we  say  here,  but  it 
can  never  forget  what  they  did  here.  It  is  for  us  the  liv- 
ing, rather,  to  he  dedicated  here  to  the  unfinished  work 
which  they  who  fought  here  have  thus  far  so  nobly  advanced. 
It  is  rather  for  us  to  be  here  dedicated  to  the  great  task 
remaining  before  us — that  from  these  honored  dead  we  take 
increased  devotion  to  that  cause  for  which  they  gave  the 
last  full  measure  of  devotion — that  we  here  highly  resolve 
that  these  dead  shall  not  have  died  in  vain — that  this 
nation,  under  God,  shall  have  a new  birth  of  freedom — and 
that  government  of  the  people,  by  the  people,  for  the  peo- 
ple, shall  not  perish  from  the  earth. 

Abraham  Lincoln. 

November  19,  1863. 


tej  eq  ^ fcj  Sq  cq  fei  tej  fej  fej  fcq  cq  fej  tcj  fej  cq 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


19 


Appendices. 

A. 

Four  versions  compared.  The  first  draft,  the  Nicolay  ms.  ; the  second 
draft,  the  Hay  ms.;  the  Associated  Press  report  from  the  North  Ameri- 
can, Philadelphia,  Nov.  20,  18631;  the  final  revision,  Baltimore,  1864. 

Nicolay.  Four  score  and  seven  years  ago  our  fathers  brought 

Hay.  Four  score  and  seven  years  ago  our  fathers  brought 

North  American.  Four  score  and  seven  years  ago  our  fathers  brought 

Baltimore.  Four  score  and  seven  years  ago  our  fathers  brought 

forth,  upon  this  continent,  a new  nation,  conceived  in  liberty, 

forth,  upon  this  continent,  a new  nation,  conceived  in  Liberty, 

A.  forth  upon  this  continent  a new  nation,  conceived  in  liberty 

forth  on  this  continent,  a new  nation,  conceived  in  Liberty, 

and  dedicated  to  the  proposition  that  " all  men  are  created  equal  ” 

and  dedicated  to  the  proposition  that  all  men  are  created  equal. 

A.  and  dedicated  to  the  proposition  that  all  men  are  created  equal, 

and  dedicated  to  the  proposition  that  all  men  are  created  equal. 

Now  we  are  engaged  in  a great  civil  war,  testing  whether  that 
Now  we  are  engaged  in  a great  civil  war,  testing  whether  that 
A.  Now  we  are  engaged  in  a great  civil  war,  testing  whether  that 
Now  we  are  engaged  in  a great  civil  war,  testing  whether  that 

nation,  or  any  nation  so  conceived,  and  so  dedicated,  can  long 

nation,  or  any  nation,  so  conceived,  and  so  dedicated,  can  long 

A.  nation,  or  any  nation  so  conceived  and  so  dedicated,  can  long 

nation,  or  any  nation  so  conceived  and  so  dedicated,  can  long 

endure.  We  are  met  on  a great  battle  field  of  that  war. 

endure.  We  are  met  here  on  a great  battle-field  of  that  war. 

A.  endure.  We  are  met  on  a great  battle  field  of  that  war; 

endure.  We  are  met  on  a great  battle-field  of  that  war. 


1 Notes  of  applause  omitted. 


to  is-  bq  % is-  fcq  isj  ba  ^ fcq  ^ to  ^ fcq  is-  bs  faq  ^ fco  is-  |5|  ^ bo  is-  fej  ^ fco  ^ fcq  b>  to  t<-  fej  ^ 


20 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


We  have  come  to  dedicate  a portion  of  it,  as  a final  rest- 

We  have  come1 * 3  to  dedicate  a portion  of  it  as  aJ  final  rest- 

A.  we  are  met  to  dedicate  a portion  of  it  as  the  final  rest- 

We  have  come  to  dedicate  a portion  of  that  field,  as  a final  rest- 
ing place  for  those  who  died  here,  that  the  nation  might 

ing  place  for8  those  who  here  gave  their  lives  that  that  nation  might 
A . ing  place  of  those  who  here  gave  their  lives  that  that  nation  might 
ing  place  for  those  who  here  gave  their  lives  that  that  nation  might 

live.  This  we  may,  in  all  propriety  do. 

live.  It  is  altogether  fitting  and  proper  that  we  should  do  this. 
A.  live.  It  is  altogether  fitting  and  proper  that  we  should  do  this, 
live.  It  is  altogether  fitting  and  proper  that  we  should  do  this. 

But,  in  a larger  sense,  we  can  not  dedicate — we  can  not  con- 
But  in  a larger  sense  we  can  not  dedicate — we  can  not  con- 
A.  but,  in  a larger  sense,  we  cannot  dedicate,  we  cannot  con- 
But,  in  a larger  sense,  we  can  not  dedicate — we  can  not  con- 


secrate— we  can  not  hallow,  this  ground  — The  brave  men,  liv- 
secrate — we  can  not  hallow  this  ground.  The  brave  men,  liv- 
A.  secrate,  we  cannot  hallow  this  ground.  The  brave  men,  liv- 
secrate — we  can  not  hallow — this  ground.  The  brave  men,  liv- 

ing and  dead,  who  struggled  here,  have  hallowed  it,  far  above 
ing  and  dead,  who  struggled  here,  have  consecrated  it  far  above 
A.  ing  and  dead,  who  struggled  here  have  consecrated  it  far  above 
ing  and  dead,  who  struggled  here,  have  consecrated  it,  far  above 


our  poor  power  to 
our  poor  power  to 
A.  our  poor  power  to 
our  poor  power  to 


add  or 

detract. 

The 

add  or 

detract. 

The 

add  or  to  detract. 

The 

add  or 

detract. 

The 

world  will  little  note, 
world  will  little  note, 
world  will  little  note, 
world  will  little  note, 


nor  long  remember  what  we  say  here;  while  it  can  never  forget 

nor  long  remember,  what  we  say  here,  but  can  never  forget 

A.  nor  long  remember,  what  we  say  here,  but  it  can  never  forget 

nor  long  remember  what  we  say  here,  but  it  can  never  forget 

what  they  did  here. 

what  they  did  here.  It  is  for  us,  the  living,  rather  to  be  dedi- 

A.  what  they  did  here.  It  is  for  us,  the  living,  rather,  to  be  dedi- 

what  they  did  here.  It  is  for  us  the  living,  rather,  to  be  dedi- 


1 In  the  Hay  ms.  Mr.  Lincoln  first  wrote  are  met.  See  facsimile. 

8 In  the  Hay  ms.  Mr.  Lincoln  first  wrote  the.  See  facsimile. 

3 In  the  Hay  ms.  Mr.  Lincoln  first  wrote  of.  See  facsimile. 


to  ■*!  h)  £ to  to  fn  •*!  {»»  ta!  hj  Saj  to  Saj  tq  taj  to  £ bj  to  tq  S*  to  taj  tt)  to  Sa;  !qj  taj  to  £ tq  £ 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


21 


cated  here  to  the  unfinished  work  which  they 
A.  cated  here  to  the  unfinished  work  that  they 

cated  here  to  the  unfinished  work  which  they  who  fought  here 

It  is  rather  for  us,  the  liv- 

have,  thus  far,  so  nobly  carried  on.  It  is  rather  for  us 

A.  have  thus  far  so  nobly  carried  on.  It  is  rather  for  us 

have  thus  far  so  nobly  advanced.  It  is  rather  for  us 

ing,  we  here  be  dedicated  to  the  great  task  remaining  before 

to  be  here  dedicated  to  the  great  task  remaining  before 
A.  here  to  be  dedicated  to  the  great  task  remaining  before 

to  be  here  dedicated  to  the  great  task  remaining  before 

us — that,  from  these  honored  dead  we  take  increased  devotion  to 

us — that  from  these  honored  dead  we  take  increased  devotion  to 

A.  us;  that  from  these  honored  dead  we  take  increased  devotion  to 

us — that  from  these  honored  dead  we  take  increased  devotion  to 

that  cause  for  which  they  here,  gave  the  last  full  measure  of 

that  cause  for  which  they  here  gave  the  last  full  measure  of 

A.  that  cause  for  which  they  here  gave  the  last  full  measure  of 

that  cause  for  which  they  gave  the  last  full  measure  of 

devotion — that  we  here  highly  resolve  these  dead  shall  not 

devotion — that  we  here  highly  resolve  that  these  dead  shall  not 

A.  devotion;  that  we  here  highly  resolve  that  these  dead  shall  not 

devotion — that  we  here  highly  resolve  that  these  dead  shall  not 

have  died  in  vain;  that  the  nation,  shall 

have  died  in  vain;  that  this  nation  shall 

A.  have  died  in  vain.  That  the  nation  shall,  under  God, 

have  died  in  vain  — that  this  nation,  under  God,  shall 

have  a new  birth  of  freedom,  and  that  government  of  the 

have  a new  birth  of  freedom;  and  that  this  government  of  the 

A.  have  a new  birth  of  freedom,  and  that  the  government  of  the 

have  a new  birth  of  freedom — and  that  government  of  the 

people  by  the  people  for  the  people,  shall  not  perish  from 

people,  by  the  people,  for  the  people,  shall  not  perish  from 

A.  people,  by  the  people  and  for  the  people,  shall  not  perish  from 

people,  by  the  people,  for  the  people,  shall  not  perish  from 

the  earth, 
the  earth. 

A.  the  earth, 
the  earth. 


22 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


B. 

From  Report  of  the  Commissioners  representing  Massachusetts  at  the 
Dedication  of  the  National  Cemetery. 

Dedicatory  Speech  by  President  Lincoln. 

Four  score  and  seven  years  ago,  our  fathers  brought  forth  upon  this 
continent  a new  nation,  conceived  in  liberty  and  dedicated  to  the  propo- 
sition that  all  men  are  created  equal. 

Now  we  are  engaged  in  a great  civil  war,  testing  whether  that  nation 
— or  any  nation,  so  conceived  and  so  dedicated — can  long  endure. 

We  are  met  on  a great  battle-field  of  that  war.  We  are  met  to  dedi- 
cate a portion  of  it  as  the  final  resting-place  of  those  who  have  given1 
their  lives  that  that  nation  might  live. 

It  is  altogether  fitting  and  proper  that  we  should  do  this. 

But,  in  a larger  sense,  we  cannot  dedicate,  we  cannot  consecrate,  we 
cannot  hallow,  this  ground.  The  brave  men,  living  and  dead,  who 
struggled  here,  have  consecrated  it,  far  above  our  power2  to  add  or 
to  detract. 

The  world  will  very3  little  note  nor  long  remember  what  we  say  here; 
but  it  can  never  forget  what  they  did  here. 

It  is  for  us,  the  living,  rather,  to  be  dedicated , here,  to  the  unfinished 
work  that  they  have  thus  far  so  nobly  carried  on.  It  is  rather  for  us  to 
be  here4  dedicated  to  the  great  task  remaining  before  us;  that  from  these 
honored  dead  we  take  increased  devotion  to  that  cause  for  which  they 
here  gave  the  last  full  measure  of  devotion  ; that  we  here  highly  resolve 
that  these  dead  shall  not  have  died  in  vain  ; that  the  nation  shall,  under 


1 North  American  (Associated  Press)  : here  gave , and  so  other  papers, 
except  Boston  Journal,  Boston  Advertiser,  and  Cincinnati  Gazette,  which 
have  have  given , and  Inquirer,  who  gave.  Hay  and  Baltimore : here 
gave.  Nicolay : who  died  here. 

2 North  American  (Associated  Press) : poor  power,  and  so  Nicolay,  Hay, 
and  Baltimore.  All  but  Philadelphia  papers  omit  poor. 

8 North  American  (Associated  Press)  omits  very,  and  so  all  other  papers 
and  Nicolay,  Hay,  and  Baltimore. 

4 North  American  (Associated  Press):  here  to  be,  and  so  other  Philadel- 
phia papers,  except  Inquirer,  which  has  neither  phrase,  and  Cincinnati 
Gazette.  All  other  papers  and  Hay  and  Baltimore  to  be  here.  Nicolay  : 
here  be. 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


23 


God,  have  a new  birth  of  freedom,  and  that1  government  of  the  people, 
by  the  people,2  for  the  people,  shall  not  perish  from  the  earth. 

C. 

Report  in  Philadelphia  “Inquirer,”  November  20,  1863. 

Four  score  and  seven  years  ago  our  fathers  brought  forth  upon  this 
continent  a new  nation,  conceived  in  liberty  and  dedicated  to  the  propo- 
sition that  all  men  are  created  equal.  Now  we  are  engaged  in  a great 
civil  war,  testing  the  question  whether  this  nation  or  any  nation  so  con- 
ceived, so  dedicated,  can  long  endure.  We  are  met  on  the  great  battle- 
field of  that  war.  We  are  met  to  dedicate  it,  on  a portion  of  the  field 
set  apart  as  the  final  resting  place  of  those  who  gave  their  lives  for  the 
nation’s  life ; but  the  nation  must  live,  and  it  is  altogether  fitting  and 
proper  that  we  should  do  this. 

In  a larger  sense  we  cannot  dedicate,  we  cannot  consecrate,  we  cannot 
hallow  this  ground  in  reality.  The  number  of  men,  living  and  dead, 
who  struggled  here  have  consecrated  it  far  above  our  poor  attempts  to 
add  to  its  consecration.  The  world  will  little  know  and  nothing  remem- 
ber of  what  we  see  here,  but  we  cannot  forget  what  these  brave  men 
did  here. 

We  owe  this  offering  to  our  dead.  We  imbibe  increased  devotion  to 
that  cause  for  which  they  here  gave  the  last  full  measure  of  devotion ; 
we  here  might  resolve  that  they  shall  not  have  died  in  vain  ; that  the 
nation  shall,  under  God,  have  a new  birth  of  freedom,  and  that  the  Gov- 
ernment of  the  people,  for  the  people,  and  for  all  people,  shall  not 
perish  from  earth. 

— Same  report  in  “The  Compiler”  (Gettysburg),  November  23,  1863. 

Report  in  Cincinnati  “Daily  Gazette ,”  November  21,  1863. 

Four  score  and  seven  years  ago  our  fathers  established  upon  this  Con- 
tinent a Government  subscribed  in  liberty  and  dedicated  to  the  funda- 
mental principle  that  all  mankind  are  created  free  and  equal  by  a good 
God.  And  now  we  are  engaged  in  a great  contest  deciding  the  question 
whether  this  nation  or  any  nation  so  conserved,  so  dedicated,  can  long 
remain.  We  are  met  on  a great  battle-field  of  the  war.  We  are  met 
here  to  dedicate  a portion  of  that  field  as  the  final  resting  place  of  those 
who  have  given  their  lives  that  it  might  live.  It  is  altogether  fitting 
and  proper  that  we  should  do  this. 


1 North  American  (Associated  Press)  inserts  the,  and  so  other  Philadel- 
phia papers  and  Cincinnati  Gazette.  Hay  inserts  this.  Other  papers 
and  Nicolay  and  Baltimore  agree  with  Massachusetts. 

2 North  American  (Associated  Press)  inserts  and,  and  so  all  other 
papers.  Nicolay,  Hay,  and  Baltimore  agree  with  Massachusetts. 


24 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


But  in  a large  sense  we  cannot  dedicate,  we  cannot  consecrate,  we 
cannot  hallow  this  ground.  The  brave  men,  the  living  and  the  dead, 
who  struggled  here,  have  consecrated  it  far  above  our  power  to  add  to 
or  detract  from  the  work.  Let  us  long  remember  what  we  say  here, 
but  not  forget  what  they  did  here. 

It  is  for  us  rather,  the  living,  to  be  dedicated  here  to  the  unfinished 
work  that  they  have  thus  far  so  nobly  carried  forward.  It  is  for  us  here 
to  be  dedicated  to  the  great  task  remaining  before  us,  for  us  to  renew  our 
devotion  to  that  cause  for  which  they  gave  the  full  measure  of  their 
devotion . Here  let  us  resolve  that  what  they  have  done  shall  not  have 
been  done  in  vain  ; that  the  nation  shall,  under  God,  have  a new  birth 
offered  ; that  the  Government  of  the  people,  founded  by  the  people,  shall 
not  perish. 

— Apparent  typographical  errors  are  as  in  original  reports. 


D. 

“ From  Pennsylvania  Magazine , History  and  Biography  October , 1909. 

Centenary  of  Abraham  Lincoln’s  Birth. — 

The  Centenary  of  Abraham  Lincoln’s  birth  was  observed  by  the  His- 
torical Society  of  Pennsylvania  at  a Special  Meeting,  February  8,  at 
which  Major  William  H.  Lambert,  a member  of  the  Council,  read  a 
paper  entitled  “ The  Gettysburg  Address,  When  Written,  How  Received, 
its  True  Form”;  and  also  by  an  Exhibition  of  Lincoln  Autographs  and 
Relics,  that  continued  through  the  week.  In  addition  to  the  Society’s 
own  treasures,  the  following  articles  from  Major  Lambert’s  Lincoln  Col- 
lection were  shown  : 

Lock  of  Lincoln’s  Hair,  cut  April  15,  1865. 

Cuff  Button  worn  by  Lincoln  April  14,  1 865. 

Inkstand  owned  and  used  by  Lincoln  in  his  Springfield  Law  Office, 
with  certificate  by  his  partner  Herndon,  that  from  this  stand  the 
“House  divided  against  itself”  speech  was  written. 

Cane  owned  and  used  by  Lincoln,  and  presented  by  him  to  Rev.  Dr. 
Gurley,  pastor  of  the  Church  attended  by  the  President  and  his  family 
in  Washington. 

Cane  presented  to  Lincoln  in  1860,  and  after  his  death  presented  by 
his  widow  to  Frank  B.  Carpenter,  the  artist. 

Books  Owned  by  Lincoln  and  Containing  his  Autograph. 

A Dictionary  for  Primary  Schools — Webster — 1833. 

Paley’s  Works. 

Gibbon’s  Rome. 

Hallam’s  Middle  Ages. 

Angell  on  Limitations. 

The  Illinois  Conveyancer. 

Books  Presented  to  Lincoln. 

The  Republican  Party,  speech  by  Charles  Sumner,  with  his  autograph 
presentation. 

Hitchcock’s  Religious  Truth,  with  autograph  presentation  by  Herndon. 


The  Gettysburg  Address . 


25 


Books  Used  by  Lincoln , Each  with  Certificate  of  that  Fact. 

Colton’s  Life  and  Speeches  of  Henry  Clay. 

Speech  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas. 

Books  Presented  by  Lincoln  with  his  Penciled  Autograph 
Inscription  in  Each. 

Lincoln  and  Douglas  Debates,  1860,  with  two  A.  L.  S.  of  Lincoln 
and  one  of  Douglas,  relating  to  contest,  inserted. 

Lanman’s  Dictionary  of  Congress,  1859,  with  A.  L.  S.  of  Lincoln  to 
Lanman  inserted. 


Autographs  of  Lincoln. 

“ Abraham  Lincoln — His  Book.” — Small  blank  book  in  which  Lincoln 
pasted  clippings  from  newspaper  reports  of  various  speeches  and  wrote 
notes  and  a letter  to  Hon.  J.  N.  Brown,  for  whom  the  book  was  prepared. 

Autograph  page  from  “ Sum  Book”  signed  by  Lincoln  and  dated  1824. 

Soldier’s  Discharge  in  “Black  Hawk  War,”  blanks  filled  by  Lincoln, 
who  signed  as  Captain,  September  26,  1832. 

Autograph  Document — Notes  of  Survey,  1836. 

Autograph  Praecipe  in  his  first  law  suit,  October  8,  1836. 

A.  L.  S.  to  Hon.  John  T.  Stuart,  January  20,  1840. 

A.  L.  S.  to  William  H.  Herndon,  June  22,  1848. 

A.  L.  S.  to  John  D.  Johnson  (step-brother),  November  25,  1851. 

A.  L.  S.  to  Hon.  John  M.  Palmer,  September  7,  1854. 

A.  L.  S.  to  John  E.  Rosette,  February  20,  1857. 

A.  L.  S.  to  Hon.  Lyman  Trumbull,  April  29,  1860. 

Note  signed  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  March  15,  1861. 

A.  N.  S.  to  Lieut.  Genl.  Scott,  August  7,  1861. 

A.  N.  S.  to  General  McClellan,  September  30,  1861. 

A.  N.  S.  to  Secretary  of  War,  July  28,  1862. 

A.  L.  S.  to  Governor  Curtin,  July  25,  1864. 

A.  L.  S.  to  Dr.  W.  O.  Snider,  July  25,  1864. 

A.  L.  S.  to  General  Grant,  City  Point,  April  6,  1865. 

Nine  visiting  cards  with  Autograph  notes  signed  on  each,  various  dates. 

A.  L.  S.  of  Col.  J.  E.  Peyton  to  the  Adjt.  Genl.  U.  S.  A.  with  favor- 
able endorsements  by  several  citizens  of  Philadelphia,  and  Mayor  Henry, 
Governor  Curtin,  and  President  Lincoln,  but  disapproved  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  War. 

Proposed  measures  for  gradual  and  compensated  abolition  of  slavery 
in  Delaware  ; four  pages  in  President  Lincoln’s  autograph. 

Plan  of  Campaign  for  fall  of  1861,  two  pages  in  autograph  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln. 

Autograph  manuscript  of  his  Address  at  the  opening  of  the  Sanitary 
Fair,  Baltimore,  April  18,  1864. 

Autograph  Manuscript— Thoughts  upon  Slavery. 

Legal  documents  in  Autograph  of  Lincoln,  the  several  firm  names 
signed  by  him. 

Stuart  & Lincoln. 

Logan  & Lincoln. 

Lincoln  & Herndon. 


26  The  Gettysburg  Address. 

Legal  Documents  in  Autograph  of  Lincoln  signed  for  himself  and 
associated  counsel. 

Lincoln  & Lamon. 

Whitney,  Davis,  Swett  & Lincoln. 

Autograph  judicial  opinion  written  by  Lincoln  at  request  of  the  Clerk 
of  the  Court. 

Lincoln  and  Herndon  Fee  Book,  1847. 

Copper  Medal,  copy  of  Gold  Medal  given  Mrs.  Lincoln  by  French 
citizens. 

Lincoln  Centennial  Medals  by  Roin6,  Gold,  Silver,  and  Bronze. 

Lincoln  Medals  by  Brenner,  Silver  and  Bronze. 

Original  Ambrotype,  August  13,  1860. 

Original  Ambrotype. 

Original  Daguerreotype. 

Twelve  Contemporary  Card  Photographs. 

Program  of  Arrangements  for  reception  of  President-Elect,  Philadel- 
phia, February  21,  1861. 

Obsequies  of  President  in  Philadelphia,  April  21,  1865. 

Ticket  of  Admission  to  Independence  Hall,  April  21,  1865. 

Ford’s  Theatre  Play-Bill,  April  14,  1865,  First  Issue. 

Ford’s  Theatre  Play-Bill,  April  14,  1865,  Second  Issue. 

Manuscript  notes  descriptive  of  the  last  hours  of  President  Lincoln 
and  of  the  autopsy,  written  April  15,  1865,  by  Dr.  C.  S.  Taft,  one  of 
the  attending  Surgeons. 

Autograph  Copy  by  Walt  Whitman  of  “ O Captain  ! My  Captain  ! ” 

Among  the  exhibits  of  the  Historical  Society  were  the  following 
original  autograph  letters : 

Executive  Mansion 

Major  General  Grant.  Washington,  July  13,  1863. 

My  dear  General. 

I do  not  remember  that  you  and  I ever  met  personally.  I write  this 
now  as  a grateful  acknowledgment  for  the  almost  inestimable  service  you 
have  done  the  country. — I wish  to  say  a word  further — When  you  first 
reached  the  vicinity  of  Vicksburg,  I thought  you  should  do,  what  you 
finaly  did — March  the  troops  across  the  neck,  run  the  batteries  with 
the  transports,  and  then  go  below  ; and  I never  had  any  faith,  except  a 
general  hope  that  you  knew  better  than  I,  that  the  Yazoo  Pass  expedi- 
tion, and  the  like,  could  succeed.  When  you  got  below,  and  took  Port 
Gibson,  Grand  Gulf,  and  vicinity,  I thought  you  should  go  down  the 
river  and  join  Gen.  Banks,  and  when  you  turned  Northward  East  of  the 
Big  Black,  I feared  it  was  a mistake.  I now  wish  to  make  the  personal 
acknowledgment  that  you  were  right,  and  I was  wrong. 

Yours  very  truly 
A.  Lincoln. 

Executive  Mansion 

Eliza  P.  Gurney.  Washington  September  4,  1864. 

My  esteemed  friend, 

I have  not  forgotten — probably  never  shall  forget — the  very  impressive 
occasion  when  yourself  and  friends  visited  me  on  a Sabbath  forenoon. 


The  Gettysburg  Address. 


27 


two  years  ago.  Nor  has  your  kind  letter,  written  nearly  a year  later 
ever  been  forgotten.  In  all  it  has  ever  been  your  purpose  to  strengthen 
my  reliance  on  God.  I am  much  indebted  to  the  good  Christian  people 
of  the  country  for  their  constant  prayers  and  consolations  ; and  to  no 
one  of  them,  more  than  to  yourself.  The  purposes  of  the  Almighty  are 
perfect,  and  must  prevail,  though  we  erring  mortals  may  fail  to  accu- 
rately perceive  them  in  advance.  We  hoped  for  a happy  termination  of 
this  terrible  war  long  before  this  ; but  God  knows  best,  and  has  ruled 
otherwise.  We  shall  yet  acknowledge  His  wisdom  and  our  own  error 
therein.  Meanwhile  we  must  work  earnestly  in  the  best  light  he  gives 
us,  trusting  that  so  working  still  conduces  to  the  great  ends  He  ordains. 
Surely  He  intends  some  great  good  to  follow  this  mighty  convulsion, 
which  no  mortal  could  make,  and  no  mortal  could  stay. 

Your  people — the  Friends — have  had,  and  are  having  a very  great 
trial. 

On  principle,  and  faith,  opposed  to  both  war  and  oppression,  they  can 
only  practically  oppose  oppression  by  war.  In  this  hard  dilemma,  some 
have  chosen  one  horn  and  some  the  other.  For  those  appealing  to  me 
on  conscientious  grounds,  I have  done,  and  shall  do,  the  best  I could 
and  can,  in  my  own  conscience,  under  my  oath  to  the  law.  That  you 
believe  this  I doubt  not,  and  believing  it,  I shall  still  receive,  for  our 
country  and  myself,  your  earnest  prayers  to  our  Father  in  Heaven. 

Your  sincere  friend, 

A.  Lincoln. 


>jip  E«S 


